Democratic Labor Union, Nationwide Workers' Rally Police Investigation Called "Blatant Attempt to Kill Democratic Labor Union"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has expressed strong opposition, calling it a 'KCTU crackdown,' in response to the police launching an investigation into the National Workers' Rally.

On the 5th, the KCTU held a press conference at the KCTU office in Jeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, stating, "Turning a blind eye and deaf ear to the desperate pleas of workers and responding with the establishment of a special investigation unit and strict measures clearly reveals the course of action for the remainder of the term," adding, "The attempts to crush and isolate the KCTU are becoming blatantly obvious."

Earlier, on the 3rd, the KCTU held the National Workers' Rally in the Jongno area, with an estimated 8,000 participants according to the KCTU. The rally was originally planned to be held in Yeouido but was relocated due to police blockade.

The KCTU stated, "We are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 infections. The KCTU does not hold a different perception or stance on this situation," but added, "We cannot agree with the government's approach to resolving and overcoming this."

The KCTU criticized the government for allowing outdoor sports and concert attendance while blocking assemblies, questioning, "Why are the standards different for the same outdoor events? Where have the freedoms of political thought, freedom of expression, and the freedom of assembly and association, which are the foundations of democracy, gone?"

At the press conference, KCTU leaders compared photos of supporters packed at former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential candidacy press conference on the 29th of last month with photos from the National Workers' Rally, arguing that quarantine rules were not properly followed at Yoon's press conference.

The KCTU reaffirmed its plan for a general strike in November, stating, "We are vigorously organizing a general strike to overcome the inequality and polarization system clearly revealed by COVID-19 and to achieve a great transformation of Korean society."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.